Planning NM trip (1 Viewer)

[Hamhed]

Niels -
I happen to be friends with Mark Simpson, the author of "Birding the Blue Ridge Mountains". He is currently working on the second edition and we have talked about that a bit. He is using eBird to help compile species information for individual sites but, as a bookophile (word?), he is having trouble going to an all digital format as an eBook, searchable website or phone app. My father worked in the printing industry and so did I for a time so I like books and the printed word.
However, in recent years, I find myself at the computer when I want information of any kind. For birding guides, site maps can be downloaded onto a lightweight, field-operable device (an iPad mini comes to mind) and updated as needed when an internet connection is available. I've more than once used birding guides that were a few years old and was unable to find sites whose access changed or no longer actually existed, wasting valuable time and creating frustration.
Information on digital sites can also be reader influenced and updated as they are here on the Opus, whether or not the original author is keeping the description current.
What do you find in a book that a digital format can not equal? Keep in mind, Niels, I am playing the devil's advocate here, not trying to be a sales rep for all that is ones and zeros. |:d|

Steve

 

[Hamhed]

perseid 28 -
Coincidentally, I just "discovered" Tingley Beach ponds yesterday on eBird. Thayer's Gull is supposed to be seen there regularly in winter, a species that wasn't even on my radar. Gallegos Park is on our list if time permits since desert species are much of what we hope to see. Good information on the RGNC bird walks. Having the eyes an experience of local birders is usually great fun. Also, a good place to make contacts for information of another birding excursion. Thanks much for the insights -

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Steve,
I am the lucky owner of an iPad mini (1st version, wifi only). What I often try to do is to have relevant bar charts from ebird saved as PDF into dropbox, and have that downloaded for offline access in the ipad. I also have the Sibley app on that ipad for bird id if I am in the US (I usually also bring my Natl Geo).

Exactly because it is a wifi only version, and because wifi can be a spotty experience (last weekend in Mexico, I was without wifi for an entire weekend even though the hotel on their info said it was available), having a location book is a good thing. If I have time to research the locations online as well, I might make notes in the margin (the restaurant at Sandia Crest might not be open, it was not when we visited in April/May a couple of years ago).

One more note about online vs book: you may know that there is a park somewhere, and they have about 10 trails. You can even download the map of the trails. Advice on which birds are on which trails will only be available if there are individual ebird hotspots assigned to each trail (often not the case). The book might contain that information for you, just as it might contain the information that "this bird often exhibit this behavior, so therefore you will not see it unless you do X, Y, Z".

I would love to have the book as an ebook instead of printed, also because updates can happen on a faster timeframe. A couple of years ago in Southern Spain, I used one produced by a birdforum member, and that was great (and it was even free!). The ebook lived on my ipad as well.

Niels

 

[cassowary]

Steve Chestnut collared longspur has frequented Double eagle airport near Petroglyphs. I've seen it there a couple of times in winter.
The main target bird at the box used to be grey vireo - but I haven't seen one there in a while. Pinyon Jay can be a tricky bird throughout much of it's range due to it's nomadic nature.

 

[Hamhed]

Steve Chestnut collared longspur has frequented Double eagle airport near Petroglyphs. I've seen it there a couple of times in winter.
The main target bird at the box used to be grey vireo - but I haven't seen one there in a while. Pinyon Jay can be a tricky bird throughout much of it's range due to it's nomadic nature.

Thanks, Mike. That's the one that shows up on Google Maps. I'm now in contact with a birder in Albuquerque who seems to have positive ideas about some of our target birds. We plan on visiting the Sevilleta grasslands on the east side of the interstate above the town of Socorro. The habitat there sounds good for the Longspur. Nice to have an alternate location at the airport.

Steve

 

[Hamhed]

Niels -
I admit to gleaning important or pertinent information from eBird and other internet sources, copying them to a file and then printing them onto a handy sheet of paper. Sometimes, it's just easier to take a quick look at those one or two sheets stuck in my Sibleys than getting out the Mini.
Also, eBooks can be considered an environmentally responsible source of convenient information. It would be nice to eliminate the hypocrisy of reading about how to find deep forest birds on a piece of paper made from timbering
the deep forest.

Steve

 

[mayoayo]

I did a little bit of wildlife research in Otero mesa,Near El paso,some good birds in there...Long billed and Bandire Thrasher,Painted Bunting ,Verdin..For Rossy Finches ,and maybe Indigo Buting ,Sandia peak had the three species year round,if i remember well..This time of the Year you have to go to the Manzano mountain Hawk watch site..perhaps a bit too late in the migation,but not too late..
My birding in southern NM was a bit limited,most of my outtings were in Northern NM and Colorado..The most spectacular birdidng day in my life,or the on i remember today as magic,was an afternoon in a marsh,few miles west of Lama,NM,,an old cattle ranch semi deserted,with a large wetland area in the middle ofnowhere,between the mountain and the Red River gorge..I remember Golden Eagle nesting in the near cliffs,circling above,while Phalaropes and Ruddy ducks circling the marsh,among hundreds of yellow headed black birds .gosh..wish i was there...
Good A'Birding

 

[Hamhed]

Thanks, mayoayo. I think we have a good chance to see our second Golden Eagle at several sites. Our first was on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state and we looked down on the bird. Going to be hard to recreate that experience.
The restaurant at Sandia Crest (http://www.sandiacresthouse.com) should have all three Rosy-Finches without much effort. I haven't eaten at too many meals at restaurants located over 10,000 while counting life birds! That may be the most relaxed birding highlight of the trip.

Steve

 

[WGPu]

How Did It Go?

Steve (Hamhed), have you made your winter trip to NM? If so, how'd it go?


:eat:

 

[Hamhed]

Yes, we did, WGPu. Got back in time for the New Year, just about the time that all that warm weather disappeared. While we were ankle deep in snow or covering our faces from the bitter wind, the East was experiencing records warmth. Timing is everything in dancing and planning birding trips!

I sorted through over a thousand pictures and am currently about halfway through the trip report. I can't seem to provide a synopsis of our birding trips. Any report is filled with details probably unimportant to most and may require the better part of a week to get through all my ramblings. These reports are for my wife and I to reminisce over in our rest home days. Wouldn't want to miss a memory.

I'll try to get some of this report out later today and be diligent about finishing it in a reasonable time frame. After all, as you are probably also experiencing, it is snowing now and predicted to have crap for weather for several days. I don't think we've seen above freezing temperatures since Saturday. Perfect time to bring procrastination to an end!

Steve

 

[WGPu]

Looking Forward to It

Steve,


I look forward to hearing your report. Hope the trip was productive.

 

[Hamhed]

We found the birds we were looking for, WGPu, and a bonus bird. Beginniing of trip report posted. More tomorrow.

Steve